As U.S. Departs, Afghan Business Dries Up

BAGRAM, Afghanistan—The Aria Water Plant, built in 2006 north of Kabul, is a state-of-the-art facility that can produce 100,000 cases of purified drinking water per week—an unusual success story from the decadelong American enterprise in Afghanistan.

But with U.S. military involvement in the nation winding down, Aria, like other Afghan companies that sprang up to serve the foreigners, is struggling to survive an uncertain time.